1. A reference to the style of architecture developed in Italy and western Europe between the Roman and the Gothic styles after 1000 AD: The Romanesque images are characterized by round arches and vaults and by the substitution of piers for columns and profuse ornaments and arcades.
2. Characteristic of or relating to the style of European painting, sculpture, or decorative arts contemporary with Romanesque architecture: Romanesque works of art show a Byzantine influence and often feature elaborate ornamentation.